Thursday, May 20, 2010

Genres: does anyone like them all?


Is it just me, or does everyone have inbuilt genre prejudices?

What are yours? And have you had a long-standing prejudice that has been broken down, either abruptly or after much coaxing?

I never used to watch/read period dramas, until I moved into a house of five girls during uni and I was forced to watch six hours of Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice in one day, and that was that.

I also used to think I wasn't a big fan of the whodunnit, but then I started watching Miss Marple. Although I haven't really branched out from that, unless you call The Wire a whodunnit, which it probably is.

With books there are quite a few on the genre blacklist: romance, horror and fantasy are all no-nos. I just can't handle the melodrama.

And film? I hardly ever watch action/thrillers or romantic comedies. I'm such a cliche, you'll always find me up the drama/art house aisle.

TV: Really not a sitcom person, and not big on the nature docos. Also hate special feature TV with a passion. You know, special feature TV of the "Michael Jackson has died let's replay all the footage we've ever taken of him interspersed with lame commentary" variety.

5 comments:

Ali said...

Ah well you need to read some George MacDonald fantasy, because leaving him aside I don't do fantasy either, or sci-fi, horror, romance, crime ...

And I also don't watch thrillers, action movies, not a great fan of westerns ...

soph said...

Yeah people say the same about CS Lewis' fiction.

I actually wrote an essay on the post-colonial themes of Star Trek at uni. It was the first and only time I've watched it (and I secretly enjoyed it... but don't tell anyone).

Unknown said...

Aha!!! You enjoyed Star Trek!!! Which incarnation was it? Obviously the best is Stark Trek Next Generation - Patrick Stewart = sexy.

It's so funny Soph, you are quite narrow when it comes to genres, but I think most of your prejudices are rooted in ignorance, as your examples of period dramas and whodunnits show.

You just don't like what you haven't seen yet!

I think Lewis is correct when he says that the best examples of every genre are sublime, but he still writes off his equivalent of Chick Lit, which I think is fsir enough...

So, would you like to dip your toe into a bit more Big Bang with me? Or shall I try to lure you into some more Star Trek first...? ;-)

Ali said...

I on the other hand saw a Star Trek movie once at the cinema and had half a mind to ask for my money back at the end, not to mention an hour and a half of my life :).

soph said...

Jo! Keep those judgemental thoughts to the living room...

hah so ok maybe you're right, maybe I'm just prejudiced through ignorance. But I'm kind of happy that way.

NO to Big bang. NO to star trek.

Remember how I never watch tv? Remember how we hvaen't even got through season two of The Wire yet? Remember how even when I want to watch tv you're always watching the West Wing? hah